Kurdistan Weekly Brief October 25

Turkey

A total of 37 politicians have been detained in Van Province since October 12. After further investigations and appeals, the court ordered the release 30 of them; however, the remaining 7 were charged with “membership in a terrorist organization.” The jailed politicians include Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Van provincial co-chair Murat Sarisach, DBP Ipekyolu district co-chair Hazim Harmanchi, HDP Ipekyolu district co-chair Tahirhan Sayyigit, DBP Edremit district co-chair Medeni Özer as well as politicians Dilaver Tashdemir and Necat Tanish. Raids by police against members of Kurdish political parties also took place in Ankara, Istanbul, and Bolu.

Three Trustees assigned by the government to replace Kurdish officials resigned. In Ergani district of Diyarbakir (Amed) province, Ramazan Hekimoglu who replaced Co-mayor Aygun Tashkınand and Ali İpek who replaced Municipal Council member Hasip Demirtekin, resigned. After Hekimoglu’s and İpek’s resignation, the third trustee in the Municipality, Mustafa Yalchin who replaced the Municipal Council member Sabiha Alchichek last month, resigned from his post on October 20.

After back and forth statements between the government’s of Turkey and Iraq regarding Turkey’s participation in the Mosul liberation operation, Selahattin Demirtash, co-leader of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), said: “Before Mosul, the AKP (Party of Justice and Development) should first clear Antep (Province) of ISIS.” He described Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan’s policies in the region as racist and chauvinistic, and said that statements such as “Mosul are ours, Mosul is Turkish” reflect the racist nature of Erdoğan’s policies.

Syria

Turkish warplanes struck the positions of factions of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in rural Aleppo resulting in the death of 22 U.S. backed fighters and five According to a statement by Jayesh Al Thuwar (Army of revolutionaries), Turkish warplanes and artillery have targeted numerous SDF controlled villages that had been liberated from ISIS, including Harbel, Hasya, Oam Al Hosh, Oam Al Qura and Hasachek in Shahba area (rural Aleppo). The attacks took place between October 19 and October 22. Confirming Turkey’s air strikes on the SDF, The U.S. Department of State spokesperson John Kirby tweeted on October 20 that “contrary to some reports, [the] U.S. was not involved in Turkey[‘s] airstrikes last night.” Then on October 23 he tweeted that the US was “concerned about reports of civilian casualties in recent air and artillery strikes in northern Syria,” adding that “we do not support nor condone any maneuvers in this area which can only give new oxygen to Daesh.”

A motorcycle exploded in a crowded market in Hasaka city on Sunday, wounding at least two people. According to Asayesh (Public Security), the motorcycle was placed at one end of the souk and was detonated by remote control. On Monday another motorcycle exploded near the industrial area east of Qamishli city resulting in the injury of 4 civilians.

Iraq

About 90-100 ISIS terrorists snuck into the city of Kirkuk. The terrorists’ initial plan was to take control of the old police headquarters, but they failed when police forces stopped the terrorists from entering the building, prompting one of the attackers to detonate their suicide vest. Other terrorist groups attacked a few strategic high buildings in the city with sniper rifles and suicide vests to target the security forces on the ground. While the terrorists failed to occupy the buildings, another terrorist group launched a suicide attack on the governorate building in an attempt to distract the security forces; they also failed when the governor’s guards and the police thwarted the attack. Police sources said ISIS employed a number of smaller units, made up of four to six terrorists, across the city, attacking at least five locations.

Kirkuk’s security forces cleared the city from the terrorists completely on Saturday. The attacks resulted in more than ten civilian deaths, including four foreign engineers at a power plant in Dibis district. Several security forces also were killed while all the ISIS fighters were either killed or captured. Kirkuk Police, Peshmerga forces, Counter Terrorism Group (CTG), and Asayish forces (Public Security) all took part in this fight against the ISIS terrorists in Kirkuk city.

Peshmerga forces are achieving remarkable advances in the Mosul liberation operations. According to several Peshmerga commanders, the Mosul liberation operations is going as As of October 25, Peshmerga forces completely controlled Bashiqa town east of the city. Peshmerga forces set up defense lines past Bashiqa while the Iraqi army continues to advance toward the city. Peshmerga forces also repelled an ISIS offensive attack on the Shingal villages on Sunday, October 23. ISIS used more than ten armored trucks during their attacks.

Iran

Speaking to Rudaw, Abdullah Muhtadi, leader of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, said his party was ready to begin talks with other parties unconditionally. Mohtadi called for a Kurdish national convention of Eastern Kurdistan (Iran) to bring together all the leaders and political parties.